Aquatic Apes

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Mini Simmons

While in SD I rode a 2nd Generation Simmons shaped by Jeff McCallum. Once I got the hang of it I did not want to put it down. I was having so much fun that even at the point of exhaustion I was still going for more waves. I am now obsessed with the Simmons design and plan on obtaining one for the spring/summer here in NYC. In my research I have found some key shapers working with the Mini Simmons design. From experience I can say McCallum's boards are amazing. I have never felt a bottom turn quite like that and I'm hooked on it.

2nd generation Simmons by Jeff McCallum. photo from McCallum website.

McCallum surfboards in France from Thomas on Vimeo.

Another shaper that I have found and who seems to make a killer Mini Simmons is Ian Zamoria. There is a great interview with him on Liquid Salt that is well worth a read. He learned under Rich Pavel and Glen Kennedy so you know he's got skillz.

Mini Simons shaped by Ian Zamora. Pic from Zamora's website.

When it come to the Mini Simmons and the history of Bob Simmons you have to know about Hydrodynamica. The Swift Movement Hydrodynamica Test pilot series are contemporary visions of Bob Simmons surfboard designs from the later 1940's to early 1950's. Here are a couple of great interview with the project organizer Richard Kenvin in Liquid Salt and All About Surf with Rich Pavel.

Mini Simmons, pic form The Swift Movement website.

The Simster, pic from Hydronamica blog.

TSJ | POV - "Richard Kenvin behind the polyester curtain" from The Surfer's Journal on Vimeo.

Mini-Simmons from Hydrodynamica on Vimeo.

Check out this interview with shaper Jo Bauguess on the contemporary history on how he came to shape the first Mini Simmons.

Friday, February 25, 2011

North County San Diego

I Just returned form a trip to LA. While there, I took a day and went surfing with my old friend Greg Mocilnikar. Greg is a hell of a surfer/artist and has Southern California surf breaks dialed in. Our morning session was at Pipes in San Elijo State Park. There was hardly any wind, the sky was clear and there was only a handful of people out. Good vibes all the way around. After our lunch break of pizza and beer at Pizza Port in Solana Beach, we stopped at Surfy Surfy. I'm a huge fan of the blog and felt like a little kid in a toy store. I was able to check out boards that are hard to come by on the east coast. The Gary Hanel Garibaldi Egg looks like it will take on Rockaway with a vengeance. After checking out many a surfboard, Greg and I started cruising the coast for an afternoon surf session. We popped in at Swami's but there was too much wind so we ended up back at Pipes. Catching waves while watching the sun set over the Pacific with an old friend was a great experience. I wish I had more pics of the waves at Pipes but we were so stoked to go surfing no one thought to take any.